The inner ramblings of some wierdo on the internet.

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Holding out for a hero

What does it mean to be a hero?

The word apparently originated with the ancient Greeks, referring to demigods and other more-than-human characters in their mythology. The more recent (and marvelously circular) definition is someone who is admired for their heroic qualities (particularly courage or nobility) and/or great achievements.*

While this captures the strict definition of the word, I think it’s missing some nuance. I don’t fault dictionaries for this, they tend to be a little behind the dynamic frontier of language-as-she-is-spake, and it may vary slightly in different cultures. As far as I can see, people could intend one of two concepts (or possibly both) when they describe someone as a hero:

A protector, rescuer, or provider. Someone who came through when you needed them.

An idol, role model, or good example. Someone that you want to be

Both fit into the standard definition (someone admired for their qualities or achievements), but engender different feelings: gratitude or aspiration. This distinction may help explain why some are affected more by the halo effect than others; with a hero you are grateful to but don’t want to be, you already have a sense of their less-desirable traits (or at least that they are different from you).

The other issue may be the modern tendency to polarity of opinions. Thus a public figure (take your favourite sportsperson for example) cannot be merely “okay”; they are either considered the greatest thing since dimpled golf balls or the most overrated player in history.

I guess it’s another example of the phenomena of people not having sensible opinions because that requires thought (read: effort). Hmmm. Maybe I should write a post on that sometime…

* The definition of “hero” also refers to the protagonist of a story, or a particular type of (especially swashbuckling) sandwich. I think we can accept that these are not relevant to the current discussion.